I did the math: the 2010 U.S. budget ($3,600,000,000,000.00) is approximately $12,000 per person. So, for a family of five like mine, the U.S. government will spend $60,000 in 2010. So, the question is, if the government weren't around, could I get the services they provide (the ones I use) for less than $60,000? I know this is a simplified view of things because some services are provided by state, city, and local governments, but let's assume it all comes from one place. Private school tuition (for grade school) is between $9000 and $15000 per child per year. So I'd have to pay $10K or so for each of my two youngest daughters to go to school. My older daughter's at a public University, so let's figure $20,000 for that. That's roughly $40,000 I'd have to pay for education alone. Now, figure in the cost of roads. Based on what you pay to drive on a toll road, I'd say if roads were all privatized, you might end up paying about 50 cents per mile. I only drive about 15,000 miles a year, so lets be liberal and say $10,000 for roads, which should also cover the costs of railroads, airports, seaports, and interstates required for bringing me food and merchandise.

I guess I'd have to pay a little extra for mail. I suppose I'd have to chip in some money for some sort of armed forces to protect my home and family from foreigners who want to take my land and kill me, and more still for some basic police, fire, and paramedic services.. I guess I'd pay at least as much for that as I pay for health or auto insurance, so add in another $5000 a year. I suppose that without the government I might have to help out people without jobs if I didn't want them dying in the streets. I'd also want to pay someone to protect the environment from those who might wish to harm it, and I'd pay someone else to make sure my food and medicine is safe. I'm a big fan on parks and open spaces, so I'd pay some more to make sure I had plenty of that in my area, and that it was well-maintained, etc. I guess I'd also want to pay someone to keep an eye on the banks and other financial institutions to make sure they didn't steal my money.

I guess it looks like $60,000 might just be a bargain. Of course, I'm not paying $60,000 -- the government is -- which is to say, the taxpayers are. Anyhow, $3,600,000,000,000.00 is a real big number, but so is 300,000,000 which is the number of people in this country. Personally I'm glad the government is doing all this stuff for me. If the government wasn't doing it, someone else would be, and guess what? they'd probably be more corrupt than politicians.

Ron Paul can suck it.